‘Shy’ parents skimp on playing

Parents said the demands of work, and social media allowed for less time with children

MARK DOUET/GETTY IMAGES

Home Staff

Thursday June 13 2013, 1.01am, The Times

Most parents spend only 56 minutes a day playing with their children, a survey by a toy manufacturer suggests. One in four manages less than 30 minutes a day, and even those with babies and toddlers put in a paltry 62 minutes.

Some parents claimed that they had forgotten how to play, while others, particularly mothers, said that they found it boring. Many relied on high-tech toys, smartphones, tablets and DVDs to keep their children amused. Three-quarters said that they cut playtimes short because they felt self-conscious and inadequate.

Two thirds of parents said that demands from work, e-mails, social media and texts allowed for less time with children, and lamented that their own parents had fewer distractions.